Underground Arms Watch returns from the dead with a look at some recently confiscated weapons and emerging trends.

Most recently a number of FGC-9s have shown up in Trinidad & Tobago, becoming one of the latest places to join the list. Most of the time these are not reported as 3D-printed weapons as is demonstrated in this article related to a seizure back in July:

 

“This exercise followed a firearm seizure the week before when acting Cpl Legendre went to a bushy area near an abandoned market stall along the M1 Tasker Road in Princes Town where he recovered a green, grey, orange, and black Mac-11 firearm. Inquiries into the find are continuing.”

 

On August 30th a man was arrested who is alleged to have been an armourer for criminal groups.

“The Trinidad and Tobago Police Services (TTPS)’ Specialist Unit has been praised by Commissioner of Police Erla Christopher for seizing ‘ghost firearms’ created utilizing 3D printing technology.

The discovery was made following a raid at a house in Caparo early this morning by the unit. Commissioner Christopher said the find was “highly commendable,” in a TTPS media release sent out this afternoon.” TV6NT

Ongoing case in Finland

“3D firearms manufactured by the defendants were discussed in the Lahti terrorism criminal case on Tuesday. The defendants manufactured semi-automatic weapons based on the FGC-9 submachine gun model, mainly with a 3D printer.

In the Päijät-Häme district court, Sami Lehto, the weapons investigator of the Central Criminal Police (KRP) crime laboratory, was heard. He has examined the weapons manufactured by the defendants and conducted test firings with them. YLE

France

3D Printed guns, unsurprisingly including lots of FGC-9s are appearing for sale on the French black market. The gun at the bottom is a ‘YEET 22c’ – a printed semi-automatic .22LR pistol designed to be easily made in Europe.

 

 

Kidnappers shot

 

Two locally made firearms, one revolving shotgun pistol and a semi-automatic pistol were recovered by police following a failed kidnapping in Enugu State, Nigeria. After suspects were “shot to death” the Police Commissioner issued a stern warning to other would-be hoodlums,

“while commending the Operatives for quickly adapting to his newly introduced crime-fighting strategies, has tasked them and all other Police personnel of the Command to sustain the tempo, stressing that there will be no breathing space for unrepentant criminals in the State, under his watch as the Commissioner of Police,”

Hybrid 3D Printed SMGs Seized in Brazil

Manufacturing techniques evolved to include what appears to be 3D-printed Glock magazines and lower receivers with steel tubing seen on submachine guns seized last month in Vila Velha, Brazil. Future designs incorporating printed parts have the potential to increase the reliability of these common street weapons through standardization and consistency.

 

AK47 Seized

Probably the best example of the revered classic I’ve seen confiscated. It felt wrong not to include, courtesy of Jamaican Police.

 

Favela Creation of the Week

A very Brazilian rendition of a well-loved classic. Likely originally a cheap airsoft gun, it was reportedly repurposed into a .40 SMG.